locations, locations, locations

[griff]

I have always tried to use the rule of three when it came to running adventures. I have always tried to have three distinct locations that the characters would visit, three encounters that were somewhat significant, and at least three important, well developed NPCs. Sometimes this would be hard to do, mostly due to pacing (running out of time to run the adventure).

Does anybody else try to fit too much into their game and end up trashing some of it or trying to fit it in some where else that seems unsatisfactory to you the GM. Is there a limit to how structured an adventure should be. And does anyone create random stuff to through out to the players?

One time I created an NPC that took me a few hours with lots of effort, detale and a great back story. He was going to be the great Imperial Captain nemesis of the group. Only to be killed in the first encounter with a trigger happy player at a point in the game that didn't call for combat.
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"EXECUTE ORDER 67. Wait a minute, that doesn't sound like order 67..... No, wait. Yes, yes it does. EXECUTE ORDER 68" Palpatine's last moments - robot chicken.

[Lane Arroway]

I'm actually working on an adventure right now that has alot going on. First, I had to do an intro game for a new player that setup his background, current motivation and bring him to the rest of the players. Also got to learn how to roll skills and talk to npcs.

Then I have a flashback scene to playout with another pc followed by a script for him to read out with me to set the tone and setup the next session. This is followed by a "Han-shoots-Greedo" inspired scene spoken in huttese(to impress the new guy), to setup the current situation.

Then I move to another pc who's having a dream sequence about her long lost little sister. (Force-sensitives, go figure!) Followed by a scene with a merchant selling her sister's trinket (so that I can have the merchant killed later by her little sister who set the whole thing up. This is described to the players as a cut-away "what's going on in the background" scene after they leave the planet).

Next I cut to the new guy who's never been to Nar Shadaa before so I should probably describe that pretty good. He then runs into the female pc getting into a fight with Zyggerian slavers and helps out.

Now I cut back to the first guy who got beat up and captured by the crimelord he owes money to. (This scene is also played out in huttese as best I can.) He gets a chance to make an escape attempt or just make a call for help.

We cut back to the girl and the new guy meeting up with the others who've found the first guy's beat up friend. They've gathered just in time to get the first guy's call for help and can plan a rescue of somekind.

Not sure what will happen next exactly, but this leads to the mission I set up with the script I read out with the first guy.

(Catching breath) Too much?
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"This job is 90% talking to people and 10% shooting at them."

[Lane Arroway]

To answer some of your queations, I find that a loose structure works best for me. I've dealt with players going their own way or throwing wrenches for a while now so I don't spend too much time planning. Like the book suggests, I like to have a few fights, chase scenes, space combat and moments of interaction. Sometimes I put them right into an action scene then flashback to when it all started. It's an old storyteller's trick I picked up along the way.

As for time management, no worries. If you feel its getting late and a fight is about to happen or some other dramatic scene just do the beginning then stop. Cliffhanger. Ex. Heroes get surrounded and smug villian appears... stop. Ex. "Your ship is being pulled in by a tracker beam... see you next week." I say plan whatever scenes you want to do over the course of the adventure. Their are no rules about how long it takes to play them out. I once gm'd an instant adventure and it took me two sessions to get to page 2 because a player decided to cause all sorts of trouble for himself and the group. One pc still talks about how the other got him shot. Twice.

About that NPC, sounds really cool. Were you able to repurpose his backstory for another Imperial Captain nemesis? That's what I would have done. In fact, my group has a Captain nemesis with backstory and they don't even know it, yet. All they know is his ship has appeared in some of their latest battles. He's the young first officer that took over when the original captain was killed in combat and he's vowed revenge!
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"This job is 90% talking to people and 10% shooting at them."

[griff]

I am curious to how many GMs use the "cut-away" device. I have not use a direct "cut-away" where I narrate a scene where the PCs are not involved and have no way to know what is happening in that scene. Is the "its just part of the story" explanation work for the players? And how do the players use the information gleaned from the "cut-aways"?
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"EXECUTE ORDER 67. Wait a minute, that doesn't sound like order 67..... No, wait. Yes, yes it does. EXECUTE ORDER 68" Palpatine's last moments - robot chicken.

[gavin storm]

Never been a GM, but most I know say "Expect the unexpected." Especially if it involves elements you cant control (in this case players. but anything Force related counts as well.).
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Gavin Storm
Causing Imperials headaches, one punch at a time, since 2000

[garhkal]

Since most of my 'adventures' these days are in module format we go with the following..

1) an intro blurb or scrawl.
2) at least one scene which is combat (whether space or ground)
3) at least one scene tech focused (whether hacking or droid/ship)
4) at least one scene investigative
5) at least one scene of pure RP (poss per skill rolls)
6) a force side bar/vision (something usually only force sensitives get, occasionally limited to force users). Its what those CHARACTERS get.
7) a cut away/interlude, the difference between this and a vision is this is OOC knowledge, like you see in films where the camera's pan away from our heroes to show us viewers what is going on elsewhere, WE know the heroes (characters) don't.
8 ) a commercial. Sometimes this advertizes something that can be purchased in that module, other times just for comical fun.
9) script.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[shootingwomprats]

I use cut-scenes sparingly. This is a mechanic best used with advanced roleplayers. Munchkin/metagamers will use even the slightest bit of information to their benefit.

When I do use cut-scenes I give very little information of what is really happening. It is used more as a foreshadowing device, set a coming scene or wrap up a scene.

You can use cut-scene after the media-rez of the opening, as a plot development device if characters get stuck or if the current action is far away from something that is to come later (foreshadowing) and also to close a scene, showing what the bad guys are doing.

These are just a few examples. Again I would strongly caution you to use them sparingly, do not give too much information with them, and use them for foreshadowing/closure for scenes.
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Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[Whill]

[garhkal]

[atgxtg]

[Lane Arroway]

[shootingwomprats]

[garhkal]

[DougRed4]

Agreed. I use cut-scenes, but pretty rarely. For example, at the end of the first "Episode" (the equivalent time of one film), I showed the Hutt (whose plans the PCs had foiled) talking to his Trandoshan henchman, sending him after the players.

This adds some tension and gives them a peek behind the curtain, but my players know this is OOC (out of character) knowledge, so can't/don't get to use it in any way.

Another example of what I might do would be to show Tarkin addressing Vader saying "She lied. She lied to us!", with Vader responding "I told you she would never consciously betray the Rebellion!"

Giving them a scene like this only enhances the experience for everyone. The key is to keep them short (since they don't involve the PCs) and not give them a ton of info (that would be hard to ignore for their characters).

As far as locations go, I realized (a bit late) that I'd used too many locations in my Episode II. Episodes I and III I seem to be on track with (having three primary locations), which just helps it to have that 'Star Wars feel'. In Ep. II, it might have been more "realistic", but the PCs were running around all over the galaxy.

I don't usually try to fit too much in, but it does happen, being as I really let the PCs decide where they're going next.
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Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green

[garhkal]

Here are a few of the cut scenes i have wrote into my modules for examples of what i use them for..